North America

The U.S. Quicklime market remained under pressure, grappling with weak demand and falling prices. October saw a 1.3% price drop, largely due to sluggish activity in the construction sector and soft cement sales. Prices dipped further by 0.9% in November, driven by an influx of lower-cost imports from China and declining global freight rates.

Cement shipments in the U.S. continued to decline, affected by high interest rates and scaled-back procurement ahead of anticipated lower production volumes. While supply levels and inventories remained stable, competitively priced Chinese imports—benefiting from lower energy costs and improved production efficiency—intensified downward pricing pressure. Although new orders showed signs of stabilizing toward late November, overall market sentiment stayed muted. December brought little change; construction activity was steady but uninspiring, keeping Quicklime consumption limited.

Get Real time Prices for Quicklime : https://www.chemanalyst.com/Pricing-data/quicklime-1505

By year-end, the combination of stagnant demand and affordable imports kept the U.S. Quicklime market subdued, with a flat outlook heading into early 2025.

Asia-Pacific (APAC)

The Chinese Quicklime market experienced price fluctuations throughout Q4 2024. In October and November, prices trended downward, before leveling off in December. October’s price stability was underpinned by weakened construction demand, as economic uncertainties and slower infrastructure and real estate development curbed consumption. Export challenges—such as port congestion and reduced demand in other Asian markets—added further pressure.

By November, Quicklime prices declined by 1.4%, reflecting continued weakness in construction and property markets. Lower calcium carbonate prices and a decline in cement output helped reduce Quicklime production costs. However, December brought stabilization as supply and demand reached a better balance. A modest recovery in manufacturing, aided by government policies, and renewed momentum in construction—evident in an uptick in China’s non-manufacturing PMI—helped support the market. Though export demand stayed soft, firm domestic consumption and steady supply contributed to a cautiously optimistic year-end scenario.

Europe

The European Quicklime market faced ongoing headwinds in Q4 2024, with fluctuating prices and sluggish demand across key sectors. October saw a brief price rise fueled by higher energy and raw material costs amid supply chain issues. However, prices fell by 1.26% in November as construction activity weakened, especially in Germany where new orders plummeted.

Despite stable production and inventory levels, demand from the cement sector remained underwhelming due to fewer infrastructure projects, subdued residential construction, and declining public investment. December marked further deterioration, with Germany’s construction sector entering a technical recession and recording its steepest activity drop in eight months. A lack of new orders and declining labor demand, particularly in residential construction, intensified the market downturn. Growing inventories added oversupply pressure, further depressing prices.

Political and economic uncertainties deepened market pessimism, as construction firms signaled ongoing contraction and cautious purchasing behavior heading into 2025.

Middle East & Africa (MEA)

In Q4 2024, the UAE Quicklime market saw consistent price declines, driven by sluggish demand from the construction sector and broader economic slowdown. Prices remained steady in October but fell by 0.8% in November, influenced by lower feedstock costs and ample domestic supply.

The construction sector showed limited momentum, with delays and cancellations—especially in projects linked to government or oil revenues—curbing demand. Industrial activity in the non-oil sector also remained slow, with few new orders and reduced consumption. December saw further price erosion, compounded by weak export demand, particularly from Southeast Asia and Europe. Local and international destocking eased some pressure, while producers scaled back output to avoid oversupply.

Year-end discounting strategies by UAE producers to clear inventories also contributed to the downward price trend. Despite sufficient supply to meet local needs, overall market activity remained muted. Demand from sectors like construction and agriculture stayed moderate, resulting in a stagnant market outlook heading into early 2025.

Get Real time Prices for Quicklime : https://www.chemanalyst.com/Pricing-data/quicklime-1505

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